


Her Red, Red Rose, My Love Did Wear.

by RougeBlatant



Series: Non-Calorecest Fics [3]
Category: Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard
Genre: F/M, Iris and Maven get along, No Spoilers, Shanties, Ship Crew AU, The Calore Bros actually get along, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 18:29:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14836946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RougeBlatant/pseuds/RougeBlatant
Summary: "Watched with the other men as the sun rose across the sea, sparking white on the ocean’s waves. He breathed in the sea air, relishing it, knowing it may be the last time he was out here for quite a while."Journeys out to sea are long and treacherous, but Maven has his brother with him and for that, he's glad.





	Her Red, Red Rose, My Love Did Wear.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't ship any of these ships, so why I’m writing them? Who knows.  
> I actually had a lot of problems working out what I wanted to call this, there were multiple lines that I wanted to use and I honestly couldn’t decide, this particular one is from the Assassin’s Creed version of Lowlands Away,  
> Then there was ‘Drowning in the lowlands low,’ and ‘evermore shall I him know,’ Both from the Shirley Collin’s version  
> I also looked at one line that is in multiple versions of Leave Her Johnny, which is simply ‘For the voyage is long.’  
> Sea shanties are great fun.  
> This can be described as ‘And AU where the brothers are sailors and actually get along and Iris actually likes Maven.’ None of them are married so it would be more correct to call them lovers.  
> Yes I know Cal’s eyes are Bronze, but that’s not an actual eye colour, so he’s just getting brown eyes.  
> The line of Bully in the Alley is literally every version I’ve heard, same with Drunken Sailor and many versions of Lowlands Away have a similar version to this. (The particular one is from Assassin’s Creed Black Flag.)  
> The version of randy dandy-o is dreadnaught’s version (it’s so good, I also definitely recommend checking out the Longest Johns on youtube.)  
> I'm currently working on the next Maven/Cal fic, I've found inspiration in the way of avoiding doing college work.  
> Enjoy

_“What shall we do with the drunken sailor?_  
_What shall we do with the drunken sailor?_  
_What we do with the drunken sailor_  
_E’r-ly in the morning?”_

The shanty was audible, even below deck as he wondered whether it was too late to ask the captain to turn around. Having travelled 34 leagues over the space of three days, he didn’t want to face the consequences that his temporary homesickness could bring him. Cal already seemed at home, his older brother had been at sea before, with the same crew nonetheless.

The Eve was a full rigged merchant ship, with three masts and twenty-five crew, and most impressive ship he’d ever stepped foot on, but that was hardly an extensive list. The captain was a jolly man with a sharp temper, a religious man who has a strong sense of what had to be done and Maven did not intend to get on his bad side, several other members of the crew already having that pleasure.

With the wind steady he had been permitted free time, so he watched from his hammock as Kilorn and Ptolemus played knucklebones, the latter’s face screwing up more and more as the game progressed. Three days of this and there’d be at least another fifteen before they hit land and even then, it was not the land he wanted to dock at.

There was an echo of feet clattering down wood as Cal and another hand came below deck. Her brother swiped his brow with his sleeve before leaning down to talk to Kilorn. Maven couldn’t hear the conversation from where he lay, but it was illustrated as Kilorn stood and head back up from where Cal came. Ptolmeus’ face relaxed and he gestured over to the scattered knucklebones, an invitation to which Cal shook his head too, walking instead to his hammock. Or not. He stopped short of Maven’s, fuck.

“You need to stop moping, Mavey.” His brother’s tone was light, but his face was hard, “I know you miss them, but every other man on this ship has family and lovers, you’ve just got to work through.” Maven bit his lip before glancing away. Cal lifted his arm and shook it, just like he used when they were young. “Hey, I’m here though.” Maven couldn’t hide the smile that emerged on his face.

 

* * *

 

It was cold in the quarters at night and noisy, snorting and snoring, mutters and other noises that weren’t the most appropriate. Tears tracked down his face, a dream fresh on his mind and he covered his mouth, desperate to cover the sobs which came inevitably. He slipped off his bunk, bare feet landing lightly on the rough wood and dressed only in his fly front breeches and shirt, quietly headed abovedeck.

Above deck he saw Cal on the night watch along with two other crew members, Blake and James if he recalled correctly. Slipping out into the cool night air, he immediately felt refreshed, he may not have been passionate about the sea, but there was no denying the way it made his shoulders relax and his aching eyes close. It made his soul feel at peace, the spirits of the sea he didn’t believe in, soothed him.

“Mavey?” Cal had noticed him, he heard rapid footsteps in his direction and a gentle hand on his shoulder, “Maven?” He opened his eyes again, Cal’s own brown eyes dilated were staring at him, eyebrows low. “What’s wrong?” Maven waved him off, but Cal persisted, glancing back at their crewmates, the blonde nodding at him. Cal pushed Maven, escorting him towards a more secluded area, rubbing his back. “What happened?”  
“It’s nothing.” He choked out, but the tears began to fall again, and his breath hitched as he tried not to sob again, Cal squeezed his shoulder, a look of familiarity on his face.  
“Nights are always the worse for homesickness.” Pushing Maven down to sit, he sat down beside him. “The first time I went out, I spent every night dreaming of home. I missed Mare, I missed father, god, I even missed Elara, but most of all, I missed you, my little brother.” Maven looked up at him, Cal’s face wore a fond smile and Maven couldn’t help but to smile through the tears as Cal began to sing.  
_“Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley…”_

 

* * *

 

 _“Heave a pawl, oh, heave away_  
_Weigh, hey, roll and go!_  
_“The anchor's on board an' the cable's all stored_  
_To be rollickin' randy dandy O!”_  
The brothers both breathed heavily in the wake of pulling up the anchor, flexing now aching muscles. Beside him Cal laughed an exhausted laugh. “Almost back home, Mavey, are you excited?”

Maven, still searching for steady breath, couldn’t quite place his words together, but the look on his face said it all. Cal threw an arm over his shoulder raising his head as the Captain called out orders.  
“Come on, Cal, don’t want to test his patience.” Maven joked.

The brothers head down onto the main deck, helping out with any jobs that were required. They were hard workers and had stamina and Maven couldn’t lie and say that he didn’t end up enjoying himself, whether he’d return? Now that was an interesting question.

“What are you planning to do when we leave?” He sat beside Cal who was taking large gulps from his flask.  
“It’s either back her or settle down, isn’t it.” Cal leaned back, eyes glazing over as he tapped his foot unconsciously, a grin slowly emerging on his face. “It would be nice to have some little Cals and Mares running around.”  
“That’s one way of putting it.” Maven laughed before turning serious. “When we return,” he looked up, deep in his thoughts. “I want to ask Iris’s father for her hand.” The smile he gave Cal was one of a fulfilled man, a wonderful smile.

 

* * *

 

He gasped awake, once again, tears streamed down his face. A terror fresh in his mind as he recalled her beautiful skin paler then it should be; her grey eyes dilated and unmoving; her movement was stiff and slow. She opened her mouth to speak and from it water poured and from her eyes, the water fell like tears; the rose in her hand fell and drowned, suffocated by the water. The white she wore like a goddess, a queen, an angel, and it darkened to red as the water rose. It rose and rose, it surrounded his neck and he reached out for her, then she was gone.

Then he woke up, and he couldn’t breathe, choking on air, he opened his eyes and tears fell from them. He hugged himself, shaking as he stared at the floorboards which made up the ceiling, trying to count them, but lost count every time he hiccupped. One more day, then I’m home, then I’ll see her again. He tried to smile, but it hurt to, but he smiled anyway, glad that no one could see that it didn’t meet his eyes. In his mind a verse from a shanty echoed.

 _“She made no sound, no word she said_  
_Lowlands, lowlands away me John_  
_And then I knew my love was dead_  
_Lowlands away.”_

 

* * *

 

He hadn’t managed to return to the lulls of sleep, so once he became presentable, he went above deck to offer to take over watch. Watched with the other men as the sun rose across the sea, sparking white on the ocean’s waves. He breathed in the sea air, relishing it, knowing it may be the last time he was out here for quite a while.

He went below deck for one last meal aboard the ship, Cal making comments on how tired he looked before they played a small game of Mexico with Kilorn and Ptolemus, making fine friends with them over the days they’d worked together. They thanked the Carmadon the cook for his service before they they all went above deck, watching as they came closer to the shore. Up on deck they all sang.

 _“I thought I heard the Old Man say:_  
_"Leave her, Johnny, leave her."_  
_Tomorrow you will get your pay_  
_And it's time for us to leave her”_

The singing became louder and more jovial as they came closer to the shore, almost home.

 _“Leave her, Johnny, leave her!_  
_Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!_  
_For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow_  
_And it's time for us to leave her”_

Maven grinned at Cal and Cal grinned back, the ship coming into the harbour as the song finished and the men roared their cheers. Thanking the captain, the first mate, the community they’d built together.

Maven and Cal turned back to the shore. There was Mare and mother and father, but they looked so… despairing. When Cal turned back to Maven, he no longer wore his joyful smile, his smile had dropped. Then they knew and, in his ear, Maven heard the slightest whisper of a voice.

_“Lowlands Away.”_

**Author's Note:**

> I can't say if this will take off, but I made a Red Queen Discord Server, I'm the only member right now, but I'll need people to help out if it does take off so yeah, feel free to share with friends.:  
> https://discord.gg/g98tNM7
> 
> Forgive any spelling/grammar errors, feel free to point out any.


End file.
